Anna Paulson
19-year-old Tiktok singer, Lil Xxel, whose real name is Alexander Gabriel Perez, is under fire after multiple young artists say they paid him for recording verses which they never received.
Lil Xxel began gaining popularity on Tiktok around 2020, garnering 2.8m followers and earning collaborations with other popular artists.
Artist Dminez paid Lil Xxel $500 to record a feature on one of his new songs. Lil Xxel told Dminez he would have his verse completed shortly after payment was received.
Dminez sent Lil Xxel a screenshot of the Paypal payment, and was reassured by Lil Xxel that the work would be complete within a day.
But after over a month of no communication, Dminez messaged Lil Xxel again to ask for an update, stating “$500 was my whole paycheck.”
Lil Xxel responded, “i got u bro i promise.”
Months later, Dminez realized he was likely not going to receive the verse from Lil Xxel, so he attempted to get his money back by filing a dispute with Paypal. The dispute ended unsuccessfully.
On another occasion, an 18-year-old German artist who goes by the name of Faylo reached out to Lil Xxel on his official Instagram profile asking for similar services.
Lil Xxel responded saying he normally charges $13k for a feature, but would give him a special price of $1,000, which Faylo then paid via Paypal.
A month later, Faylo messaged Lil Xxel asking for an update on the agreed verse. Lil Xxel responded by blocking Faylo on Instagram.
Now more than a year later, unable to get his verse or his money back, Dminez decided to chalk it up to a lesson learned.
Disheartened, he said in a message, “…he’s actually my favorite artist…Ik all his music…never meet ur heros ig.”
As a young artist trying to get their music career off the ground, $500 or $1000 can be a significant amount of money.
Reflecting on the situation, Faylo said, “I saw it as an investment. I trusted him, paid him $1,000 and I have no way of getting it back…It makes me so mad. The fact that no one knows about this shit. And that there’s zero justice.”
Lil Xxel currently lives in Calabasas, California with his family. We’ve been told his father, Antonio Velaz, a self-proclaimed record executive for Xxelulous Music Group, has been involved in the management and communications with artists regarding feature agreements and payments.
Lil Xxel has recorded features with artists such as Tyga, Cheat Codes, Emily Vu, and Oliver Cronin, leaving some to speculate that he only honors agreements with artists which have potential to further his career.
Set the bar high, Had to make a mill, And I did that, I’m so proud of myself
– Lil Xxel, “Proud of Myself” (2023)
In genres such as hip-hop, pop, and country, teaming up with other talented creatives for “features” has become increasingly trendy for the potential to be discovered by new fans.
Artists accepting money and failing to deliver on promises is not uncommon, and is especially documented within the rap community.
Many musicians rely on an individual’s word obtained merely via messages on social media platforms such as Instagram.
This leaves the paying musician vulnerable and at risk. It’s important to use a contract for all deals involving money, as they provide a level of protection, so if something goes wrong, individuals will be able to take legal action.
If you or someone you know has been scammed by Lil Xxel or any other artist, we advise you to report it to your local authorities. We’d also like to hear about your experience.
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